Figure 2.

“Serious” Mental Disorder. “Serious” in this study meant with enough evidence of danger to self or others, or, more commonly, inability to care for self so that an involuntary mental hospital certificate could have been properly signed by a physician if those in the individual's home situation stopped being able and willing to provide care.

Source: Staff of the Mental Research Unit, New York State Department of Mental Hygiene. 1960. A mental health survey of older people. Psychiatric Quarterly (supplement) 34(1):34–75. (Constructed from data in Table 3.21, p. 56.)